Providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving control data. The control data may be configured to indicate a portion of master calendar data a user designates to transmit. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include filtering the master calendar data based on the control data to create filtered calendar data and transmitting the filtered calendar data.

RELATED APPLICATION

Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on even dateherewith in the name of Stillion et al. and entitled “PROVIDINGSCHEDULABLE CALENDARS ELECTRONICALLY,” assigned to the assignee of thepresent application, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Distributing calendar and appointment information including, forexample, free/busy time, scheduled meetings, public gatherings, andprivate parties, is problematic due to many limitations in mainstreamtechnology. For example, calendar applications in general, and personalinformation managers in particular, have not been very good atdistributing calendar information. With conventional systems, thisproblem is threefold. First, there are no official current internetstandards for transporting calendar data. Second, conventional systemsdo not filter calendar data that is to be transmitted. For example,calendar data includes a mixture of private and non-private information,thus when transmitting calendar data, how much information conveyedneeds to be controlled. Third, calendaring applications typically need aserver to host shared or distributed calendar data. Accordingly, to takeadvantage of such features, users need to have access to a server.

Furthermore, scheduling meetings or making appointments with someoneelectronically has been a very difficult process using conventionalsystems. For example, users may give up on using conventionalcalendaring processes and may simply use a telephone instead to makeappointments. Consequently, this problem may be twofold. First,conventional systems do not support distribution of personal calendarsthat can be used as schedulable entities. And second, conventionalsystems do not support presenting a user's calendar information in aformat conducive to online scheduling.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for methods and systems forproviding electronically distributed calendars more optimally.Furthermore, there is a need for providing electronically distributedcalendars including, for example, filtered calendar data.

SUMMARY

Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, systems andmethods are disclosed for providing electronic distribution of filteredcalendars. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of conceptsin a simplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In accordance with one embodiment, a method for providing electronicdistribution of filtered calendars includes receiving control data. Thecontrol data may be configured to indicate a portion of master calendardata a user wishes to transmit. This method may also include filteringthe master calendar data based on the control data to create filteredcalendar data and transmitting the filtered calendar data.

According to another embodiment, a system for providing electronicdistribution of filtered calendars may include a memory storage formaintaining a database and a processing unit coupled to the memorystorage. The processing unit may be operative to receive control data.The control data may be configured to indicate a portion of mastercalendar data a user wishes to transmit. Moreover, the processing unitmay be operative to filter the master calendar data based on the controldata to create filtered calendar data and to transmit the filteredcalendar data.

In accordance with yet another embodiment, a computer-readable mediumwhich stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a methodfor providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars. The methodexecuted by the set of instructions may include receiving control data.The control data may be configured to indicate a portion of mastercalendar data a user wishes to transmit. Moreover, the method executedby the set of instructions may include filtering the master calendardata based on the control data to create filtered calendar data andtransmitting the filtered calendar data.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only,and should not be considered restrictive of the scope of the invention,as described and claimed. Further, features and/or variations may beprovided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodimentsof the invention may be directed to various combinations andsub-combinations of the features described in the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments and aspects ofthe present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system including a computingdevice consistent with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for providing electronicdistribution of filtered calendars consistent with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a screen shot illustrating a user interface for providingcontrol data consistent with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating relationships and interaction leadingto trust consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawingsand the following description to refer to the same or similar parts.While several exemplary embodiments and features of the invention aredescribed herein, modifications, adaptations and other implementationsare possible, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. For example, substitutions, additions or modifications may bemade to the components illustrated in the drawings, and the exemplarymethods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, oradding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the followingdetailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the properscope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Systems and methods consistent with embodiments of the present inventionprovide filtered calendar electronic distribution. For example, a usermay wish to distribute calendar data corresponding to the user'scalendar, but may wish to limit the amount of data based on the user'srelationship with a recipient. For example, embodiments of the inventionmay include a number of user initiated controls and filters of thecalendar data to be distributed. In addition, embodiments of theinvention may allow a user to use e-mail features to take a calendar ina calendar application program and send it to the recipient via e-mailin a format that the recipient can use. The user can choose a subset ofthe user's calendar in order to limit the amount of data send based, forexample, on the user's trust, comfort, or familiarity with therecipient.

Furthermore, the user may send the calendar data in at least twoformats. By sending in at least two formats, the user can increase theprobability that the recipient will be able to read the sent calendardata. Furthermore, one of the sent formats may be a more robust formatreadable by a smaller number of recipients and the other format may be aless robust format readable by a larger number of recipients.Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may include supportingcalendar distribution by an endpoint (e.g. a recipient computer)capability of such support. In other words, embodiments of the presentinvention may enable, for example, the recipient to process the calendardata without support from a server.

Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, a number ofcontrols and filters over distributed calendar data may allow a user tolimit the distributed calendar data by, for example, calendar timerange, by those calendar appointments marked private, or by limiting theamount of content exported in each appointment that passes the filter.Furthermore, the “depth” of the distributed calendar data may be set bythe user. For example, the user may set the distributed calendar data toinclude all fields (including attachments) or may limit the distributedcalendar data to simply title, times, and body, or simply times andtitles. Moreover, the user may be given further options to allow“free/busy” calendar data to be distributed that focus, for example, onempty time slots rather than filled ones in the user's calendar. Each ofthese filter options, for example, may include a different HTML layoutto optimize space and readability for the calendar data represented.

In addition, consistent with embodiments of the present invention, adual calendar data representation may be used. For example, the calendardata may be represented in iCalendar and/or in hypertext markup language(HTML.) The aforementioned are exemplary and other formats and more thantwo formats may be used. For example, iCalendar, developed by theInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF), is a pseudo-standard for apayload data format for transporting calendar items over e-mail. IETF isthe protocol engineering and development arm of the Internet (IETFSecretariat c/o Corporation for National Research Initiatives 1895Preston White Drive, Suite 100 Reston, Va. 20191-5434.) iCalendar mayenable opening calendar data in a full-fledged calendar form. Whilecalendar data in an iCal format representation is somewhathigh-fidelity, it may, for example, only be accessible to users that useiCalendar enabled reader applications. Consequently, the calendar datamay also be represented in an HTML version of the calendar rendered, forexample, in the body of an e-mail message. While HTML may be veryaccessible and may be viewed by a large number of client applicationsthat support HTML, this format is not quite as high-fidelity asiCalendar.

Furthermore, consistent with embodiments of the present invention, acalendar server may not be needed. For example, embodiments of thepresent invention may use true peer-to-peer (e.g. over e-mail) calendarsharing, meaning that anyone with a capable client application can usethe received calendar data. For example, an iCalendar/HTML calendar“snapshot” via e-mail may be used to share calendar data consistent withembodiments of the invention.

Moreover, embodiments of the invention may include an update feature.For example, if a user sends a first calendar with a week's worth ofdata, and then sends a second calendar latter, embodiments of theinvention may detect that these two are associated with the samecalendar. Consequently, instead of opening the second calendar,embodiments of the invention may replace the old calendar data (e.g. thefirst calendar) with the new payload (e.g. the second calendar.)

An embodiment consistent with the invention may comprise a system forproviding electronic distribution of filtered calendars. The system maycomprise a memory storage for maintaining a database and a processingunit coupled to the memory storage. The processing unit may be operativeto receive control data. The control data may be configured to indicatea portion of master calendar data that a user wishes to transmit. Inaddition, the processing unit may be operative to filter the mastercalendar data based on the control data to create filtered calendar dataand to transmit the filtered calendar data.

Consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, theaforementioned memory, processing unit, and other components may beimplemented in a computing device, such as an exemplary computing device100 of FIG. 1. Any suitable combination of hardware, software, and/orfirmware may be used to implement the memory, processing unit, or othercomponents. By way of example, the memory, processing unit, or othercomponents may be implemented with any of computing device 100 or any ofother computing devices 118, in combination with computing device 100.The aforementioned system, device, and processors are exemplary andother systems, devices, and processors may comprise the aforementionedmemory, processing unit, or other components, consistent withembodiments of the present invention.

Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, components,data structures, and other types of structures that perform particulartasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, embodimentsof the invention may be practiced with other computer systemconfigurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Embodiments of theinvention may also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linkedthrough a communications network. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotememory storage devices.

Embodiments of the invention, for example, may be implemented as acomputer process (method), a computing system, or as an article ofmanufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readablemedia. The computer program product may be a computer storage mediareadable by a computer system and encoding a computer program ofinstructions for executing a computer process. The computer programproduct may also be a propagated signal on a carrier readable by acomputing system and encoding a computer program of instructions forexecuting a computer process.

With reference to FIG. 1, one exemplary system consistent with anembodiment of the invention may include a computing device, such ascomputing device 100. In a basic configuration, computing device 100 mayinclude at least one processing unit 102 and a system memory 104.Depending on the configuration and type of computing device, systemmemory 104 may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM,flash memory, etc.) or some combination. System memory 104 may includean operating system 105, one or more applications 106, and may include aprogram data 107. In one embodiment, applications 106 may include adistribution application 120. However, embodiments of the invention maybe practiced in conjunction with a calendaring program, a graphicslibrary, an operating system, or any application program and is notlimited to any particular application or system. This basicconfiguration is illustrated in FIG. 1 by those components within adashed line 108.

Computing device 100 may have additional features or functionality. Forexample, computing device 100 may also include additional data storagedevices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magneticdisks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 1 by a removable storage 109 and a non-removable storage 110.Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removableand non-removable media implemented in any method or technology forstorage of information, such as computer readable instructions, datastructures, program modules, or other data. System memory 104, removablestorage 109, and non-removable storage 110 are all examples of computerstorage media. Computer storage media may include, but is not limitedto, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM,digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store thedesired information and which can be accessed by computing device 100.Any such computer storage media may be part of device 100. Computingdevice 100 may also have input device(s) 112 such as keyboard, mouse,pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 114such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included. Theaforementioned devices are exemplary and others may be used.

Computing device 100 may also contain a communication connection 116that may allow device 100 to communicate with other computing devices118, such as over a network in a distributed computing environment, forexample, an intranet or the Internet. Communication connection 116 isone example of communication media. Communication media may typically beembodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, programmodules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrierwave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information deliverymedia. The term “modulated data signal” may mean a signal that has oneor more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as toencode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media may include wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media asused herein may include both storage media and communication media.

A number of program modules and data files may be stored in systemmemory 104 of computing device 100, including an operating system 105suitable for controlling the operation of a networked personal computer,such as the WINDOWS operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION ofRedmond, Wash. System memory 104 may also store one or more programmodules, such as distribution application 120, and others describedbelow. While executing on processing unit 102, distribution application120 may perform processes including, for example, one or more of thestages of the methods described below. The aforementioned process isexemplary, and processing unit 102 may perform other processes. Otherapplications 106 that may be used in accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention may include calendaring applications, electronic mailand contacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheetapplications, database applications, slide presentation applications,drawing or computer-aided application programs, etc.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart setting forth the general stages involved in anexemplary method 200 consistent with the invention for providingelectronic distribution of filtered calendars using system 100 ofFIG. 1. Exemplary ways to implement the stages of exemplary method 200will be described in greater detail below. Exemplary method 200 maybegin at starting block 205 and proceed to stage 210 where computingdevice 100 may receive control data. The control data may be configuredto indicate a portion of master calendar data a user designates totransmit. For example, the master calendar data may comprise thecomplete and unabridged calendar or calendars kept by the user oncomputing device 100. The user, for example, may execute a calendaringprogram within applications 106. Likewise, the calendaring program mayinitiate distribution application 120, which may expose the user to anumber of user interfaces (UIs) through output devices 114 directedtoward gathering the control data from the user. FIG. 3 is a screen shot300 illustrating an exemplary UI for providing control data consistentwith an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, controldata may indicate an availability only level 305, a limited detailslevel 310, and a full details level 315. As described below, these andother types of control data may be provided by the user.

At this point, because the master calendar data may include personaland/or secured information, the user may evaluate the user'srelationship with a receipt to whom the user wishes to send the calendardata. During this evaluation, the user's trust, comfort, or familiaritywith the recipient may be considered. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustratingrelationships and interactions leading to trust that the user mayconsider consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. Basedon this evaluation, the user may provide corresponding control data tocomputing device 100 through a UI.

From stage 210, where computing device 100 receives the control data,exemplary method 200 may advance to stage 220 where computing device 100may filter the master calendar data based on the control data to createfiltered calendar data. For example, the control data provided by theuser through the UI may indicate one or more dimensions by which themaster calendar may be filtered. A first dimension may be for the userto select a calendar from a plurality of calendars to transmit. Mostcalendar application programs handle multiple calendars, not just asingle calendar. Accordingly, the user may choose one calendar from aplurality of calendars to use. For example, the user may be maintaininga family calendar, a work calendar, and a Little League calendar oncomputing device 100. The user, for example, may select all or a portionof the Little League calendar to share with other team members (e.g.recipients).

A second control data dimension may be selecting on a date range. Forexample, the user may provide a date range or ranges on a particularcalendar to determine how much calendar data to transmit. The user mayprovide computing device 100 a range corresponding to, for example,today, tomorrow, the next seven days, the next 30 days, or the wholecalendar. In addition, the user may supply a range corresponding to anon-typical range, for example, next Tuesday the 28^(th) through the31^(st). In addition, computing device 100 may allow the user to providecontrol data to limit transmitting calendar data outside the user'sdefined working hours. For example, if the user wanted to send calendardata to a consultant to set a meeting in the next seven days, the usermay elect to just send calendar data within the user's defined workinghours.

A third control data dimension may be for the user to limit the detaillevel included in the filtered calendar to be transmitted. The user, forexample, may evaluate the user's relationship with the prospectiverecipient according to FIG. 4 as described above. Accordingly, the thirdcontrol data dimension may include one of a plurality of user selectabledetail levels, for example, availability only level 305, limited detailslevel 310, and full details level 315, as described above with respectto FIG. 3. A first detail level (e.g. availability only level 305) maycomprise availability only. In other words, the first detail level mayindicate whether the user, for example, is free or busy, tentative, orout of the office for a particular time span with no other detailsprovided. A second detail level (e.g. limited details level 310) mayinclude providing subjects of individual calendar items on the user'scalendar, but may include no further details of the individual calendaritems. Moreover, a third detail level (e.g. full details level 315) mayinclude everything in the user's calendar item, including, for example,location, text, body text, attendee list, attachments, and so forth. Theaforementioned are exemplary and the third control data dimensions maycomprise other user selectable detail levels.

Once computing device 100 filters the master calendar data based on thecontrol data in stage 220, exemplary method 200 may continue to stage230 where computing device 100 may transmit the filtered calendar data.For example, computing device 100 may transmit the filtered calendardata to the recipient who may be using one of other computing devices118. The filtered calendar data may be transmitted in a plurality offormats including a first format and in a second format. The firstformat may comprise iCalendar and the second format may comprise HTML asdescribed above. By transmitting in at least two formats, the user canincrease the probability that the recipient will be able to use thetransmitted calendar data. Furthermore, one of the transmitted formatsmay be a more robust format usable by a smaller number of recipients andthe other format may be a less robust format readable by a larger numberof recipients.

Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may include supportingcalendar by an endpoint (e.g. a recipient computer, other computingdevices 118, etc.) capability of such support. In other words,embodiments of the present invention may enable, for example, therecipient to process the calendar data without support from a server.For example, the transmitted filtered calendar data may be configured tobe directly usable by a client application. Because the filteredcalendar data may be transmitted as an e-mail attachment (e.g. usingSMTP) most internet users may participate in the process. For example,embodiments of the present invention may use true peer-to-peer (e.g.over e-mail) calendar sharing, meaning that anyone with a capable clientapplication can use the received calendar data. For example, aniCalendar/HTML calendar “snapshot” via e-mail may be used to sharecalendar data consistent with embodiments of the invention. Accordingly,calendaring applications consistent with embodiments of the presentinvention may not need a server to host shared or distributed calendardata. After computing device 100 transmits the filtered calendar data instage 230, exemplary method 200 may then end at stage 240.

Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in anelectrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged orintegrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizinga microprocessor, or on a single chip containing electronic elements ormicroprocessors. Embodiments of the invention may also be practicedusing other technologies capable of performing logical operations suchas, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited tomechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition,embodiments of the invention may be practiced within a general purposecomputer or in any other circuits or systems.

The present invention may be embodied as systems, methods, and/orcomputer program products. Accordingly, the present invention may beembodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, residentsoftware, micro-code, etc.). Furthermore, embodiments of the presentinvention may take the form of a computer program product on acomputer-usable or computer-readable storage medium havingcomputer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the mediumfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. Acomputer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that cancontain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for useby or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice.

The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example butnot limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagationmedium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of thecomputer-readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Note that thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper oranother suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as theprogram can be electronically captured, via, for instance, opticalscanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, orotherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then storedin a computer memory.

Embodiments of the present invention are described above with referenceto block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems,and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention.It is to be understood that the functions/acts noted in the blocks mayoccur out of the order noted in the operational illustrations. Forexample, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executedsubstantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed inthe reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

While certain features and embodiments of the invention have beendescribed, other embodiments of the invention may exist. Furthermore,although embodiments of the present invention have been described asbeing associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums,aspects can also be stored on or read from other types ofcomputer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like harddisks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, a carrier wave from the Internet, orother forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the steps of the disclosed methodsmay be modified in any manner, including by reordering steps and/orinserting or deleting steps, without departing from the principles ofthe invention.

It is intended, therefore, that the specification and examples beconsidered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of theinvention being indicated by the following claims and their full scopeof equivalents. Although the subject matter has been described inlanguage specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, itis to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appendedclaims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actsdescribed above. Rather, the specific features and acts described aboveare disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing electronic distribution offiltered calendars, the method comprising: receiving control data, thecontrol data configured to indicate a portion of master calendar data auser designates to transmit; filtering the master calendar data based onthe control data to create filtered calendar data; and transmitting thefiltered calendar data.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving thecontrol data comprises receiving the control data configured to indicatethe portion of the master calendar data the user designates to transmitwherein the control data indicates the portion of the master calendardata comprising a first calendar selected from a plurality of calendars.3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the control data comprisesreceiving the control data configured to indicate the portion of themaster calendar data the user designates to transmit wherein the controldata indicates the portion of the master calendar data corresponds to atime period.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the controldata comprises receiving the control data configured to indicate theportion of the master calendar data the user designates to transmitwherein the control data indicates the portion of the master calendardata corresponds to a time period that corresponds to the user's workinghours.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the control datacomprises receiving the control data configured to indicate the portionof the master calendar data the user designates to transmit wherein thecontrol data indicates the portion of the master calendar data thatprovides one of the following: availability only, limited details, andfull details.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting thefiltered calendar data comprises transmitting the filtered calendar datain a first format and in a second format
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein transmitting the filtered calendar data comprises transmittingthe filtered calendar data configured to be directly usable by a clientapplication.
 8. A system for providing electronic distribution offiltered calendars, the system comprising: a memory storage formaintaining a database; and a processing unit coupled to the memorystorage, wherein the processing unit is operative to: receive controldata, the control data configured to indicate a portion of mastercalendar data a user designates to transmit; filter the master calendardata based on the control data to create filtered calendar data; andtransmit the filtered calendar data.
 9. The system of claim 8, whereinthe control data indicates the portion of the master calendar datacomprising a first calendar selected from a plurality of calendars. 10.The system of claim 8, wherein the control data indicates the portion ofthe master calendar data corresponds to a time period.
 11. The system ofclaim 8, wherein the control data indicates the portion of the mastercalendar data corresponds to a time period that corresponds to theuser's working hours.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the controldata indicates the portion of the master calendar data that provides oneof the following: availability only, limited details, and full details.13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing unit operative totransmit the filtered calendar data comprises the processing unitoperative to transmit the filtered calendar data in a first format andin a second format.
 14. A computer-readable medium which stores a set ofinstructions which when executed performs a method for providingelectronic distribution of filtered calendars, the method executed bythe set of instructions comprising: receiving control data, the controldata configured to indicate a portion of master calendar data a userdesignates to transmit; filtering the master calendar data based on thecontrol data to create filtered calendar data; and transmitting thefiltered calendar data.
 15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14,wherein receiving the control data comprises receiving the control dataconfigured to indicate the portion of the master calendar data the userdesignates to transmit wherein the control data indicates the portion ofthe master calendar data comprising a first calendar selected from aplurality of calendars.
 16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14,wherein receiving the control data comprises receiving the control dataconfigured to indicate the portion of the master calendar data the userdesignates to transmit wherein the control data indicates the portion ofthe master calendar data corresponds to a time period.
 17. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receiving the control datacomprises receiving the control data configured to indicate the portionof the master calendar data the user designates to transmit wherein thecontrol data indicates the portion of the master calendar datacorresponds to a time period that corresponds to the user's workinghours.
 18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receivingthe control data comprises receiving the control data configured toindicate the portion of the master calendar data the user designates totransmit wherein the control data indicates the portion of the mastercalendar data that provides one of the following: availability only,limited details, and full details.
 19. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 14, wherein transmitting the filtered calendar data comprisestransmitting the filtered calendar data in a first format and in asecond format
 20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, whereintransmitting the filtered calendar data comprises transmitting thefiltered calendar data configured to be directly usable by a clientapplication.